Remembering Our Mothers was a participatory art, food and spirit gathering that emerged from a collaboration with Gerry Ambers (Namgis Nation, Alert Bay, BC). I wanted to situate my exhibition within indigenous territory, history and ways of knowing, while calling upon my own tradition of ancestor respect and devotion. Because the work in the show is about motherhood, Gerry and I created a ceremony that pulled in ideas from the exhibition with a chance for viewers to actively participate in connecting with ideas of the maternal, their ancestors and acknowledging the land we rest on as a nourishing body.
Remembering Our Mothers took place on Friday November 18, 2016 as a pre-opening event for the exhibition Being Home. A circle of almost 80 people gathered to breathe together, acknowledge the land, call forth their ancestors, make an offering and feast on seasonal soup. Much gratitude to Gerry Ambers for the gift of friendship and the opportunity to work together and to MediaNet for supporting this event and for serving soup and drinks!
Here is the invitation that went out to the community: "Remembering Our Mothers is a participatory art, food & spirit gathering led by Gerry Ambers & Farheen HaQ honouring place and the nourishment received by maternal bodies around us - mothers, grandmothers, the land and water. All are welcome to join the artists to acknowledge the land and season we inhabit, celebrate place and ancestors and feast on the gifts of the earth."
Dough offerings from the public on the altar created for maternal ancestors
Children gather around the altar, adding their creations.
Making and feasting
Sharing seasonal soup. Thank you to Anna of Bread & Butter catering.